COURTESY OF THE FOREST SOCIETY OF MAINE
Whether you’re fishing for wild brook trout, skipping rocks on a pond, paddling down a river, or hiking up a mountain, Maine’s 12-million-acre North Woods offers a unique stillness and tranquility, where one can relax in the sounds of the birds or enjoy a gentle breeze. Maine’s forestlands, at three and a half times the size of Connecticut, are the largest expanse of wilderness east of the Mississippi and home to the darkest night skies in the eastern United States. These forests are recognized for sequestering nearly 70% of Maine’s annual carbon emissions. They foster biodiversity, help keep water clean and are a foundation for forest and outdoor recreation economies––the essence of what characterizes Maine.
Forest Society of Maine (FSM), based in Bangor, is Maine’s land trust for the North Woods. FSM’s mission is to uphold the recreational, cultural, economic, and ecological values of Maine’s forestlands.Using conservation easements, FSM works with willing landowners to permanently conserve Maine’s forestlands.These easements embrace the values and traditions of Maine: supporting a sustainable flow of wood products to the benefit of local and state economies; conserving fish and wildlife habitats and other ecological values; honoring the historic and ongoing cultural importance of forestlands; and helping to sustain the great privilege of public access for recreational activities on private lands.
The legacy of private landownership in Maine has fostered unique opportunities for conservation through easements. An easement is an enduring form of conservation protection. It is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and either a land trust or government agency. Easements permanently limit uses of the land to prohibit development, protect special features and habitats, while also typically ensuring public access. Landowners continue to own the land, pay property taxes, and retain the right to implement sustainable forest management.
Last year, FSM celebrated its 40th anniversary — 40 years that brought about the conservation of more than one million acres of forestland. This forestland features upwards of 180 ponds and lakes, 780 miles of lake and pond shoreline, 2,000 miles of river and stream shoreline, and 25 mountains.
People of all ages continue to access Maine’s North Woods for a variety of traditional recreational opportunities in all seasons of the year. It is the work of conservation organizations like FSM that ensures these forests can continue to be enjoyed by all. FSM recognizes that the tradition of public access to private lands is maintained through the goodwill of landowners and responsible members of the public.
So as you tie up your boots, grab your jacket, and step out the door for an adventure in the North Woods, keep in mind that partnerships with landowners, communities, and organizations across the landscape support the longstanding traditions of Maine and keep Maine’s forests as forests. How wonderful it is that for generations to come people of all ages can experience Maine much as it is today!
